aesposito’s Posts

aesposito
on 7/13/21 4:15 pm
Topic: RE: PATCHMD multivitamin patch now has no calcium!l

I wonder if it is because calcium can inhibit iron absorption. But I didn't really look at the ingredients of that or their non-iron multi vitamin so I couldn't say for sure....

And the patch may have a different interaction anyway, something that doesn't allow the iron and calcium to compete for the same receptors.... but it was just a random thought.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 6/22/21 10:48 am
Topic: RE: TPN 18 years post op

Had TPN for a bit after exploding my appendix a few years ago. Gained some weight, mostly water, a little "real", lost it over a few months. Seemed to go OK for me but your mileage may vary.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 6/22/21 10:46 am
Topic: RE: Appetite

Drink fluids. It is unlikely you will starve to death, and the more you lose now, the more bounce-back room you will have two years later when mal-absorption ends. Plus nausea is often a symptom of dehydration, it certainly was for me.

Nibble a bite of whatever your doctor said to eat and you will be fine (high protein, high good fat, low carb). Again, in a few years you will pray for the hatred of food.

Caveat: anything beyond nausea, talk to your doctor. Could be any number of other reasons.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 6/17/21 12:40 pm
Topic: RE: Gastric bypass and psych meds

Back in the day I had to double my Prozac dose post surgery thanks to malabsorption. But I only take it every few years for about six months at a time, so I don't know if that contributed to the problem. I guess you need to talk to your shrink, experiment, and find out....

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 2/1/21 10:42 am
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

Walking around now in the Chicago area is, well, an adventure lol (foot of weekend snow).

But I will also admit work issues and a little depression kept me from walking when I had fewer excuses. I figure a lot of us in the same boat, and know that I get it.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/29/21 2:35 pm
Topic: RE: My body has (apparently) finally decided where it wants to be!
On December 17, 2012 at 7:00 AM Pacific Time, aesposito wrote:

I've been bouncing between 157-160 for the past few months now.  So I think that's it.  My journey appears to be done... from 340 to 157-ish.  Of course now that I've said that, the scale will move again... but really, I hope not.  I am pretty comfortable here.

The biggest lesson I learned?  Losing weight doesn't solve life's problems...  they are still there after you become thin.

But now that I am healthy, I will be working damn hard to stay that way.  My kids deserve it.

Audrey

 

I have decided to distract myself from the weird world we live in by offering up some stuff I discovered after my RNY ten years ago. A decade seems like a good time to start. The above is when my body decided "OK, that's good enough", back in 2012.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/29/21 1:54 pm
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

***I went through a transfer addiction, but have worked through it and continue to work at it every single day. I have come to realize that every day is a gift.

I have always been a big advocate of alcohol in moderation post RNY. I still am. But honestly this past year tested that opinion. After so many years of a glass of wine a week or so, I found myself drinking much more... mostly because I needed it, and less because I wanted it. So I worked with various resources to get a handle on that. I am back to moderation, and I have personal and professional "safety valves" set up that will signal me if I ever get to that point again, because I am not sure I can trust myself to really know. We over-ate for a reason. And when we can't over-eat anymore, we look for something else to replace food. I am glad you are working on it every day. I am too.

****Part of that is coming and checking in here daily. It's not about the menus or seeing what people are doing for exercise, although it's nice to see! It's about having some structure and just saying hello and seeing pictures and engaging.

Honestly I wish I could. I have no idea what even brought me here this week..... the level of busy I currently face is mind-bending. But the thing is, I am complaining about being busy while the root cause of that is a good job, a good life, and a mostly healthy family. So like you said, I have found things that work for me and I try to complain less, and help others more (usually my students). It makes me less self-centered, I hope anyway.

So while I can't promise anything, I will continue to try to drop in from time to time. I started coming here in 2010 and it saved my life. If I can save another one, that works for me. Thank you so much Christina for helping me articulate all of this.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/29/21 1:43 pm
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

I am not going to give you all the bull**** platitudes about how you got this, you are awesome, it's just food, just refocus, no problem, etc. Because I'd punch someone who did that to me.

But I will say therapy is great. You DESERVE to focus on you. I don't even know you and I am so proud of you already! Whether you succeed or fail, you deserve to be the best "you" possible. Therapy is one of many steps in that process, I know personally.

Please keep me updated on how you are doing.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/29/21 1:39 pm
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

OMG grandsons and new husbands are the best things ever!!!!! I am so happy for you! Wookit the face! We atheist socialist RNY vets make awesome grandbabies, don't we??!!!

FYI my students call it the "Covid 19" (as in the "Freshman 15")... the weight they gained last year. I am at 170 now, probably was closer to 180 over the holidays.... so i probably hit the "Covid 19" lol. I didn't get the actual virus (repeated tests and antibody tests negative), but my stepson and son-in-law both did. All well now. Several co-workers got it as well and some are not so lucky.... still recovering weeks or even months later.

My second vaccine is next week, so I am just telling everyone not to breath on me until then.

I hope it didn't take too much out of you physically. I had students with it, healthy 20 year olds, who wheezed like old men walking upstairs afterwards. I spent much of 2020 in goggles, n95 masks and with chapped hands from washing (all of my students got it from home exposures, not school), so I guess I am testament to PPE :)

Ditto don't be a stranger, and glad we are still buying green bananas (or would be if they weren't so high carb).

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/29/21 7:19 am
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

Ironic since I also love biking, but having to teach from home for 10 months took me away from the wonderful paths near my work that I love. DH and I take a LOT of walks though, that helps...

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/28/21 10:35 pm
Topic: RE: Fupa question for the ladies

I did better than most. Thank god for good genes and no smoking history. But things droop and drag, absolutely. Both up above and down below.

Bottom line (no pun intended): losing weight resulted in many great positives for me including realizing that I DGAF what others think anymore. My current husband likes having sex with all my droopy bits. That is good enough for me.... that and the occasional dusting with Gold Bond....

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/28/21 10:31 pm, edited 1/29/21 1:30 pm
Topic: RE: RNY vets are you OK? Life sucks sometimes (vets = 5+ years in my mind, but not set in stone).

I drop in and out of this place periodically, but it occurred to me today (yes, I am that stupid and ignorant) that as awful as the past year was for me, it could have been even worse for you.

Not hating on the newbies at all, I promise. But vets, are we OK? And if not, can I help?

I still have a job and family, including an adorable grandson (below, look at his long legs!) now 7 years old, but Covid sucks, and some other stuff sucks, and my students' lives suck, and my body sucks. Weight is creeping. At a steady 170+ now and while that doesn't seem like a lot to many, it has me in panic-mode. Cracking down, or trying too --- I know all the right things to do of course, as do we all. If you respond with a post telling me what to do, I will find you, and I will kill you.

But when life sucks, hard to remember that part. Food and sleep and wine sound a lot more appealing than it used to. And of course ALWAYS the f*cking anemia/dehydration/IBS/etc, darn it..... especially anemia. I have my heme guy on speedy-dial.

Talk to me vets, please. We can help each other. And no need to worry about me much. I am OK and have my job and family still.... but a lot of you don't have the same security, I know.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 1/28/21 9:39 pm, edited 1/28/21 1:39 pm
Topic: RE: diarrhea from year 8-16 years post op

A few possible guesses: SIBO, IBS, chronic gastritis from alcohol abuse (no judgement here, I don't know you, but it is something some RNY vets have).... won't really know until you see a doc.

But I can tell you several years ago I ignored abdominal pain thinking it was just an RNY thing, and ended up with a ruptured appendix. I know you are not in pain, but my point is.... if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, sometimes it's a chicken....

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 10/30/20 10:45 am
Topic: RE: Nine years ago this week.....

Hmmmm..... I wonder......

Although you are even more olde-timey than me, nice!

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 10/30/20 7:39 am, edited 10/30/20 7:42 am
Topic: RE: Nine years ago this week.....

Nine years ago this week, I had my innards re-arranged and lost 185 pounds.

Nine years later, I am still doing pretty well. Like a lot of people I put on a pound or two while stuck inside this year, but many many walks and hikes with the husband, along with the conscious decision to force more socially distant outings with him and the kids/grandson, meant I didn't quite hit the "Covid 19" pound mark..... weighed 176 last I checked. I can work with that.

Also a lot of gardening and bird-watching to keep me busy.

Still not counting calories or fat, still militant about carbs, still lecturing to all that sugar is sugar, still listening to Pouchy when he says stop, still drinking diet pop and alcohol in moderation....

Militant about masks too by the way.... with continued vitamin issues (I've been anemic since getting out of the hospital 9 years ago despite pills, infusions, hemo specialists, etc etc) I am in a higher Covid risk category.... as are all of you, remember. So mask up please.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 10/29/19 11:48 am
Topic: RE: Checking in on my 8 year RNY anniversary....

Eight years ago last week I changed my life.

Still doing pretty good. Weighed 169 yesterday... always aiming for 160-170 these days so that works for me :)

Always low carb, low sugar, hydration, listening to Pouchy when he says "knock it off"... I don't track calories or fat, but I always say you do whatever works for you, your mileage may vary. I enjoy diet soda and wine/booze in moderation.

I hike and bike with my husband a lot, both for exercise and because I love it. Proof of hiking and my clutsy-ness below lol, when we went to Canadian rockies this past summer (July 2019).

Issues that never seem to go away... I am still anemic periodically even though I take a fistful of supplements a day. Peri-menopause isn't helping, as I have very heavy flows the few times I still have my periods. My hematologist is on speedy-dial.

And every so often, like everyone new and old, I do something stupid. For example I was up puking at 1am this morning after giving up the battle to digest some ribeye I hadn't chewed properly for dinner.

I don't hang out here much anymore except to lurk, but I am happy to answer questions if there are any. And a reminder, I am not perfect, but I'm good enough :)


Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/22/19 11:17 am
Topic: RE: Donating blood

I am too anemic too often to donate now, between the RNY and flipping into and out of menopause. But I used to donate regularly before surgery. I am told that once I am well and truly past menopause I may be able to try again...

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/17/19 8:27 am
Topic: RE: Lurking, Labs and Thank You!

Damn you spellcheck, thanks!

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/17/19 8:26 am
Topic: RE: Lurking, Labs and Thank You!

No prob, was just trying to clarify :)

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/17/19 8:26 am
Topic: RE: Lurking, Labs and Thank You!

Thanks!

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/16/19 11:38 am
Topic: RE: Lurking, Labs and Thank You!
On April 16, 2019 at 6:26 PM Pacific Time, Partlypollyanna wrote:

That's a bit misleading. Here's an explanation between MD, OD and Chiro.

It is not misleading. Your link confirms what I said, that a DO is a doctor who undergoes the same training as an MD with a bit of extra stuff.

An OD is not a doctor... it is a made-up term for chiropractors that requires no standardized training.

Unless you are seeing an eye doctor, in which case an O.D. is a doctor of ophthalmology, which I doubt is what the poster meant....

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/16/19 10:51 am, edited 4/16/19 4:40 am
Topic: RE: Lurking, Labs and Thank You!

Just a clarification please... is your new healthcare coordinator an OD or a DO? A DO is a real doctor. An OD is a chiropractor... which while helpful for many things, should not be mistaken for a real doctor and does not require extensive medical training... just trying to avoid confusion for people (unless she meant an eye doctor, which is an OD of a different sort, but I suspect that is not what was meant).

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 4/16/19 10:31 am, edited 4/16/19 3:31 am
Topic: RE: Counting Calories

Seven years out (wow, almost 8!) I don't count calories, only carbs. I eat a lot of fats, almost no sugar/fruit/bread/starch/etc.

Works for me although I would not impose my beliefs on others... I realize I am fortunate Pouchy still stops me before I eat too much...

Some of the science suggests calories are not exactly what we think (I've put an example link below, although note it was funded in part by Crossfit... but the science itself is interesting)....

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/obr.12699

Even the American Heart Association is backing off some of the fat=bad thinking: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-s mart/fats/the-facts-on-fats

Just my two cents,

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 2/14/19 11:48 am
Topic: RE: Gall Bladder Attack?

Go to the ER now and do not wait. Could be either a stone caught in the common duct, or an appendix, both of which could kill you.

I have had both, so trust me on this one... and you will feel better if they are ruled out...

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

aesposito
on 10/31/18 11:51 am
Topic: RE: Abdominal Pain Advice

Go to ER now. I had a similar issue on and off a few years back, then my appendix ruptured and I spent five days in the hospital and nearly died... I had written it off as something related to RNY (and I should know better as a medical professional).

Also had pain in that area when I got a stone caught in the common duct... which can also kill you.

We don't always get the classic signs, symptoms, pain location and progressions because our insides have been re-arranged. Get help.

Audrey

Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.

Most Active
What's on your Thursday Menu?
Queen JB · 50 replies · 514 views
What's on your Monday Menu?
Queen JB · 49 replies · 473 views
What's on your Wednesday Menu?
Queen JB · 49 replies · 425 views
What's on your Tuesday Menu?
Queen JB · 46 replies · 427 views
What's on your Thursday Menu?
Queen JB · 43 replies · 333 views
What?s on your Sunday menu?
Melody P. · 2 replies · 102 views
Forum Search Error & 404
RNY2007 · 2 replies · 69 views
Recent Topics
What's on your Thursday Menu?
Queen JB · 43 replies · 333 views
What's on your Wednesday Menu?
Queen JB · 49 replies · 425 views
Forum Search Error & 404
RNY2007 · 2 replies · 69 views
What's on your Tuesday Menu?
Queen JB · 46 replies · 427 views
What's on your Monday Menu?
Queen JB · 49 replies · 473 views
×